~ The not so asian Asian. Life with Dreadlocks in Sunny Down Under, Perth. Now in Singapore

Dreadlocks 101- Before you begin

Hello all you dreadlock wanting/ dreadlocked people or newbies who are doing research on dreads! Good on you!! (: You’re at the right place, because this post is about dreadlocks 101- from techniques to care to maintenance to shampoos and pros and cons about dreads! Read on! Hope this post is useful to you!

This post is all about dreadlocks yes, as you can see from the title. I’ve only been into dreadlocks for about a year, and it took me about 2 years to actually get them, and I wanna get them off soon. Why? Because I miss regular long hair, and I can form my dreadlocks on my own without needing to do to the salon. Yes there are heaps and heaps of Youtube videos on how to make your dreadlocks and dreadlock care stuff, coming from people from all over their world and their experiences. After a while they kinda all start to sound the same and listening to them on Youtube rolling their eyes while talking and always facing one direction while filming and saying “whatever” and “you know”, really starts to tick me off. Oh and the word “like”… what’s like so up with that?! =.=

So, I’ve been working on and off at this hair salon in Perth. There are only 2 super well known ones in Perth, namely Weirdsistas located in Freo and Blackberries Hair Design located in Wellington. Anyhow, I think they both employ to different sorts of techniques to their dreadlock formation styles, namely: rip and twist and backcomb- crochet (as I would like to call it). Weirdsistas use your natural hair fibers to form your dreadlocks by stripping it of any natural hair oils (so I’m told by a friend who did his dreads there, and they do try to sell you heaps of hair stuff so enable them to work on your hair. Thus I reckon they use the rip and twist method plus they don’t use wax. That’s a super good point. Which I will get back to later. Blackberries use the backcombing method, and they use wax.

Okay, so lets start!!

Before you get dreads, it’s good to read through this:

How can dreadlocks be formed?

– Naturally when your hair gets knotted together. Usually this happens to people with really fine, dry hair, like mine, at the base of their neck. Particularly if you have chemically damaged your hair, or have natural frizzy hair (like me). I hate it so much.

What kinds of techniques can dreadlocks be formed with?

– There are a couple of ways. There is the rip and twist method- which is like how you would fray a rope. You can look this up on Youtube. There is the backcombing method- section your hair and backcomb them tightly, then crochet them into cylindrical dreads. There is the lock and roll method- grab a hair section and just keep rolling it together until it forms this knotted mess, eventually you’ll get a dreadlock. Finally, there is neglect. In simple terms, basically just leaving your hair to do it’s own hair thing and naturally you’ll get a dreadlock.

I want a natural looking dreadlock, which technique should I use?

– Erm… neglect? That’s the most natural. But some people with coarse thick hair strands, won’t form dreads that way and may end up opting for the backcomb method which you may need wax to help maintain the shape… Fine, frizzy, fluffy hair people can do pretty much all the techniques cos our hair will just dread a lot better.

Which technique do I prefer to use?

– I was taught the backcomb method, though through experimentation, I like the rip and twist method better.

What should I do before I decide to get dreadlocks?

– Research. DO a lot of it! Different websites will tell you different things- like interlocking and it’s pros and cons and tips on how to care for your dreads etc. Dreads are probably the MOST high maintenance hairstyle on this face of the planet. Dreads do not mean you’re stinky and dirty and are not meant for the homeless and hippies. Dreads are a way of life. You either have it in you, or you don’t. Don’t force it. Also, if you tend to get dermatitis, it’s best not to get dreads because.. dreads can aggravate the problem. I’ve had customers with really bad dermatitis, and because of what the hair dresser says, they don’t use SLS containing shampoo- which is a large chemical based ingredient found in most shampoos and also in medical shampoos that help treat dermatitis. I’ll explain more about shampoos later.

I’m scared! How will I know whether dreadlocks will suit me?

– Try getting African braids or Bali braids first. You’ll look like that if you had dreadlocks. Alternatively, you can purchase dreadlock extensions or dreadfalls to see if the look is suitable for you.

Why is wax bad for my hair?

Some hairdressers like to use beeswax to seal the ends of your dreads to lock them in place. Particularly if you had course hair that won’t dread well. However, wax causes build up of gunk, others say it encourages fungus or mould to build up and get trapped. I agree with all that, plus it looks pretty gnarly after a long time. I’ve had customers come in with so much wax build up that it looks disgusting, feels disgusting and smells BAD. If your hairdresser insist on using wax, inform them to use the most minimum amount because when the times comes and you want to remove your dreads without chopping off your locks or shaving bald, combing through and removing the wax will be your largest enemy of your life.

What kinds of shampoo can I use?

Your hairdresser and many other websites will tell you not to use SLS (sodium laureth sulphate) shampoos that are chemical and preservative free. I’m guessing because dreadlocks are “au naturale” they would want you to opt for more natural shampoos. Personally I love using bar shampoos or SLS and chemical free shampoos because my hair is fine and fluffy (like Caucasian hair) and there tends to be a lot of chemical build up on my hair shafts that make it limp and flat, also I have a sensitive scalp that gets flaky if I use chemical based shampoos. So, I would say, for the first couple of months, go with chemical free shampoos to ensure your dreads lock-in first, then switch to whatever shampoo you want to use. I use Head and Shoulders when I get an itchy scalp. Or use prescription shampoo from the doctor’s to combat dermatitis. Do remember to condition your hair!!

Drying hair?

No matter what hairstyle you have, you always want to make sure your hair is completely dry before covering it up or tying it up- it will stink if you don’t. With dreads particularly, you have the added disadvantage of mould growing in your dreads which is result in a funky smell that you’d smell on old homeless people or a really old cupboard that hasn’t been cleaned in years. Yup! Mildew growth in hair stinks for miles, and I’m not sure how you can remove it… unless you chop or shave your dreads!!! Don’t encourage mildew growth!!

Tightening my dreads

I’ve tried 2 ways of tightening my dreadlocks.

1: Interlocking. Basically its running a tool parallel or perpendicular to your scalp to form loops and pulling the dread right through the loops- causes a weaving effect. Some people will say that it is bad for your hair because it’s causing your hair to go in a direction it doesn’t naturally go i.e. downwards. I like to interlock my hair when there is at least 1 inch of new grown hair, because there is less stress and tension on my scalp, so after interlocking, there is still new hair that grows in the downwards direction.

2: Rub-lock-roll: this method is hard to describe. What you do it rub your dread against your scalp in a circular motion several times, then palm roll it from the roots all the way down the shaft while stretching it. This is a natural way of locking in the roots. I prefer to do this while shampooing each and every single dreadlock.

When can I put beads in my hair?

Any time you want!! Do remember that your dreads grow thicker as the grow older. Much like trees. So you might want to go a size up after your dreads have grown fat, otherwise they might look kind of funny!

How long does my hair have to be to get dreadlocks?

About 10cm would be a good starting length for most.

If I have short hair and I want longer dreads, can I do that?

Yes!! Just like how a person with short hair wants to have instantaneously long hair, they go for hair extensions! You can get dreadlock extensions as well! They are woven onto the ends of your natural dreads. You can either have human hair extensions (can be dyed like normal hair) or synthetic hair extension (that come in heaps of colours!!).

What’s the difference between the two kinds of extensions?

Human dreadlock extensions are made from human hair typically found in wefts for regular hair extensions, then dreadlocked and woven into your own dreadlocks. These wash like normal human hair, can be dyed and don’t weight down your hair.

Synthetic dreadlock extensions are cheap and come in a variety of colours. These are made from kanekalon fibers, which are either dreaded using the crochet method or heat sealed together. Synthetic dreadlocks will definitely weigh down your hair and all bulk. They will fray after a couple of months and look like real dreadlocks. Synthetic dreadlocks look like this:

They can be single or double ended. But if you’re going to extend your dreadlocks, rather than doing temporary ones, they will always be single ended. These ones are made by me.

That’s about all that you would need to know if you’re thinking of getting dreadlocks. If I’ve missed out anything, please leave a comment below!

Oh dear… I’m so sorry I just saw this. Not sure if the following information is still of use to you. But I wash my dreads every other day as per normal. Meaning I wash it as I would like regular hair and make sure they are completely dry before tying them up. I do my own self maintenance by crocheting my dreads to keep them tidy every week. And most importantly, palm rolling and stretching goes a long way in keeping your dreadlocks neat and tidy. Rotating the dreads at the scalp also helps knot the hair at the roots and keeps everything tidy.

I have dreadlocks and am considering extensions. Do you know how long synthetic dreads will last? I have been researching like crazy but can’t seem to find much information on the subject. People seem to change them when they feel like it. I would like to know if they can be perminate.

Hi dear, Synthetic extensions tend to be very heavy and are only ideal for temporary purposes. What I used to do to add colour to my dreads was use the synthetic fibers to make a synthetic dread casing and weave my hair through it, rather than bleaching it. The reason why I say that the synthetic extensions are heavier is because they trap a lot of water when they are wet. You will really feel the weight of it. Since you already have dreadlocks, I’d suggest doing the synthetic casing instead, like what I did. Hope it helps!

Hi, so I have very long straight dyed hair (kind of a wine red in colour) and I was thinking of buying extension dreadlocks from a site online to add a bit of colour, as a bit of a change….will it look weird if I have random bright dreadlocks in amongst my normal straight hair? Can I remove them easily? Do I wash them or take them out then put them back in? Sorry if these are dumb questions but I wanted to get a few opinions before buying the extensions.
Thanks!

Hi dear, first of all there is no such thing as a silly question (: And thank you for reading my blog. To answer your question, it is perfectly alright to be having coloured dreadlocks in your wine red hair. My suggestion is that you put them on the inner layers of your hair so as to help them “blend” in or if you do wish to keep them on the outside, that is fine as well. (:
Dreadlock extensions can be installed and removed very simply. The best way to go about doing it is braiding it into your hair; as such I would recommend installing them on the insides of your hair. The best thing about extensions is that they don’t damage your hair and you can swap around the colours as and when you want and you can wash your hair as per normal.
Extensions however, are heavy when wet. Especially the synthetic colourful ones. These guys trap a lot of water when wet. So if you are going for the synthetic extensions, you might want to remove them before washing them. You can use regular soap or shampoo that matches the one you’re using. Synthetic extensions offer the best range of colour and flexibility and are also cheaper than extensions made out of real hair. Hope I answered your questions and provided some help!! Cheers!!

Hey mate i’m determined to get dreads but i’m worried about the stereotyping associated with em. I was hopping you could put my mind at rest and tell me what it’s like to live with them and if you’ve ever encountered a problem with the hairstyle or heard of anyone else having a problem. Plus i’d love to know more about the whole upkeep when it comes to them being neglected over like a week due to festivals and stuff?? thanks

Duddee!! Awesome to hear you want to get dreads!! Welcome welcome! Haha… Surprisingly enough dreads are getting really common, and I am who likes dissing people on having sterotypes about dreads. Some people think dreads are gross and smell, I simply take up my dreads and say: “here, smell it. Does it stink? Smells better than your hair.” And they go “oooo”. Then they go on to ask how I shampoo and maintain them.
Problems with dreads, I find is that, if you’re out in the sun too long, you might be more prone to sunburn. If you tend to get dandruff or have more sensitive skin, skin flakes tend to trap more easily at the base of the dreads close to the scalp. In terms of hairstyles, I’ve done everything from a french braid, regular braids, buns and french twists (for fancy schmancy occasions).
Not much needs to be done in a week to be honest, so even if you don’t do anything to it in terms of maintenance while you’re at raves and festivals, that’s perfectly ok. But if you do end up in mud or have food in your hair, please get rid of it asap. You don’t want all that stuff getting trapped in your dreads. Remember, dreadlocks are essentially your hair made into a very tight, super dense cylindrical mesh network; so if things seep through into the core of your dreads, it will be hell to wash out and (touch wood), might lead to hair rot, fungus and mould growth- aka the stuff that makes dreads stink SO BAD!! I’d say if you’re going to go for a long time without washing your hair/dreads, you might consider getting your scalp used to not being washed for extended periods of time and using either a dry shampoo or rinse your hair out with clean water and make sure they dry. I’m not sure how festivals work, but I do believe living facilities are basically your tent and your surrounds… haha So, yes, clean water would suffice for your week long partying!
Hope that helps!

Hi dear, do you mean hair extensions to cover your entire head and the dreads? Or hair extensions on to the dreads? And are your extensions clip in or temporary attachments ie using clamps or rubber bands?

I am considering doing synthetic dreads on my normal hair… I was wondering if you could tell the difference between crocheted and not crocheted . I an going for a more natural look meaning I want them to look as real as possible… I am doing light brown which is the color of my natural hair. Thank you for you advice

Hey there! I’ve been doing quite a bit of research and your blog is by far the most informative and, well, real-life, non-judgemental, and welcoming I’ve found. Thanks for all of the info! I do have a couple of questions. I’m 37, (I mention that because a twentysomething friend just gave me a bit of a hassle when I mentioned what I want to do, saying that ‘most people start younger’, which I think is crap), I’m an acupuncturist in the US, so I feel like I have a bit of wiggle room as far as my appearance still being appropriately professional for my occupation. I have very long (halfway down my back) light brown hair, which is fine in texture (I get that damn rat’s nest at the back of my neck from wearing coats & scarves every winter!), but there is a lot of it. What I would like to do is dye streaks of it purple, and then twist it into thin dreads. My main concerns are that my hair smells good (!) and still looks cared for. Regarding drying thoroughly to avoid mildew, can you blow dry them? Is dry shampoo useful on them? (I have an oily scalp, so I really need to wash my hair every day, but then the ends get dry and split, so I use a lot of dry shampoo to get another day out of it – another impetus for me wanting to dread it up. Lastly, and you would think this would be obvious but I haven’t found much on it … when I decide to go back to having normal hair as you are about to do, am I going to have to cut my hair super short, or is there a way to keep some length and undo the dreads without totally destroying the hair shaft? Thank you very much for any input you might have! Blessings, *T-lady